Just as we cannot live without dreams, we cannot live without love. Love is not found, for love is truly blind. Lovers do not meet for they dwell inside of one another until the moment a whisper ignites the heart and a kiss touches the soul. And we call that the beginning...of life with love.

So on Valentine's Day, what better way to lay tribute to love and lovers than with a love story that just happensânot on purpose, not by design, not by any other intention than to live life and love without boundaries? To fly limitless into the arms of someone who completes your soul gives one wings.

Nothing can stop the power of love between a man and a woman.

This is a story about a professional woman, unlucky in love and tired of all things testosterone, who is erotically tempted by a female piano bar player and torch singer. Her intended tryst is derailed when she meets a Navy Seal in the lounge enjoying the sweet temptations of a Southern Comfort Manhattan.

How does the night unfold for the strangers above the jeweled colored sparkling lights strewn like a bed in the valley below? Perhaps a twosome or maybe a threesome. Or...

Perhaps forever is only for a night.

You know, the longer and more that I do this, it never gets easier to talk about myself. I think writers are inherently private, why I donât know, because everything we write is revealing in some way. But, I love talking about my books and characters, so I guess, someday, Iâll get used to talking about myself too!

How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

In many respects, I have written most of my life. I was in sales and marketing before I retired and I had to write proposals, proformas, presentations and contracts so I had to have some command of the English language. It was only after I started writing provocative romance and erotica that I realized how little command I actually have!! But, I started, in earnest, writing stories and books in 2010. My first story, The Storm, was published in 2010 by Oysters & Chocolate, an online magazine now defunct. The $10 I earned mad me a pro! I hope that isnât a sign of things to come!

How did you come up with this story?

I wrote a very short workshop teaser, The Bath, for a group I am in in which the woman bathing dozes and feels hands on her, soothing her tired muscles and becoming more insistent, erotically. She gives herself over to the sensations and then as she drains the tub thinks she sees a face in the water. It was the beginning or a romance that spans a century about a seafaring man that keeps returning to his home to try to find his beloved, Amalya who died in childbirth. He mistakenly thinks that Emily, now in his home, is she. That is how this all started and these two characters literally swept me away.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

As always, the agony of a blank page and the ecstasy of two little words, âThe Endâ. In all fairness, writing is a solitary endeavor, so the loneliness gets to me occasionally, but I have taken to the couch and write beside my husband as he does his crossword puzzles and watches sports. And I have my characters to keep me company.

What inspires you to write?

I know writers always say âeverythingâ but for me, that really isnât true. A melody might, something that happened to me in my life, someone, or something I saw. Once, on the day that JFK was assassinated, my Mother and I were shopping in Paris. My Dad was an Air Force colonel and we were stationed there for three years, but that is a story in and of itself! Anyway, I saw a man strike a woman across the Champs Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe. The âCity of Loveâ changed for me forever in that one moment. Things like that inspire me. Politics, for example, do not so everything is not inspiring to me. I suspect, to sum it up, the human condition is fascinating to me; how people treat and react to one another at their best and worst, is inspiring.

How did you conduct your research for Consenting Hearts?

Humm, I really didnât. This is another time when much of what I wrote, I lived. The same is true of Moonbeams of Unintended Consequences, although not all, for sure. The setting in The Para-Postage of Emily, is on an island between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. For many years, my husband and I lived on an Island in the middle between both of those bodies of water and the ferry had to cross âDeathâs Door, so named by the Indians because of the treacherous currents. It is a small 36 square mile island settled by Nordic settlers many generations ago so many of the current residents are related. Small Island, big gossip! Anyway, we lived there for nearly 20 years. That is where this story takes place, in a small part of my heart. For Consenting Hearts, The beginning is how I met my husband. The drama surrounding the meeting is pure fabrication, as is the rest of the story, but that is how this lovely piece begins and why.

What are 3 of your favorite lines/quotes from Consenting Hearts?

I have so many, but these are just a few that are PG rated for this interview:

Sailie took her first sip, feeling the warmth of the drink claiming her body, inch by inch. She savored that very first sip luxuriously. It was like a loverâs hands sliding down her body, igniting every inch as they felt their way to her toes.

Swish, swish, swishâ¦and her thong bit into her tender folds as a poignant reminder.

Dylan lit a cigar and Sailie thought she would like to die in his arms from the mere honeyed scent of the burning leaves.

What would your friends say is your best quality?

I am a good friend, I think they would say. I hope they would anyway. I try to be helpful and supportive. It is so hard to be a writer today. There are 55,000 new books published monthly. Anyone can write and publish a book. I can be very discouraging for an author to be read and, as you know, promotion is time consuming and exhausting leaving little time to do what you love. I try to do whatever I can to help my friends. I try to be generous with my time and whatever talent I possess that might be useful to them.

Are reader reviews important to you?

Reader reviews are very important to me. Positive reinforcement is essential to my life-force. It is like getting all dressed up for a party looking your best, and no one notices if I donât get reviews. And it is crushing. You know, shameless self-promotion only goes so far, and thatâs usually with your family! As in anything, word of mouth is the best form of advertisingâand so it goes with books. Oddly enough, while I donât particularly care for average reviews, they do not bother me. You cannot please everyone and one really never knows a readerâs points of reference. Anyway, I am harder on my work than anyone else could ever be.I have been fortunate to be selected as a Readers' Favorite. You can read some of the wonderful nearly two dozen 5 star reviews here:

My husband and I used to boat, but we lost interest when gas prices went so high. We had a 28â Grady White. Beautiful boat. But we could eat lobster every day for what it cost us to go fishing in the Gulf a few times a month! That takes all the fun out of a hobby. I walk a lot as, like Emily, I have a wee Havanese dog of 12 fluffy pounds and I sew. I am also a licensed realtor, although I have been âinactiveâ for the last year making a heartfelt effort with my writing. Come to think of it, I have done little else but write in the last year!!

Tell us about your other books?

Thank you for asking. I have this new book on pre-order now releasing on Valentineâs Day titled Consenting Heart: A Very Special Valentines. Pre-order here. It includes elements of the day I met my husband but the rest is pure sizzling fiction.The setting in The Para-Postage of Emily, is on an island between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. For many years, my husband and I lived on an Island in the middle between both of those bodies of water and the ferry had to cross âDeathâs Door, so named by the Indians because of the treacherous currents. It is a small 36 square mile island settled by Nordic settlers many generations ago so many of the current residents are related. Small Island, big gossip! Anyway, we lived there for nearly 20 years. That is where this love story takes place, in a small part of my heart. The story of a seafaring man, tormented by loss and love, who returns nightly for his love Amalya who died in childbirth, only to discover Emily who now owns his home. Love across a century. Very sexy, very romantic! Order Here

Then I am contributing to a real scorcher, Alpha Fever: 22 Sizzling Contemporary and Paranormal Romance Stories. My story is about a good neighbor and The Butterfly Collector. Pre-order here. It has an interesting backdrop of BDSM. I am not proficient in that genre so it is mild, but still an interesting story I think about releasing ourselves to the care and trust of another and how we blossom as a result of what we learn about ourselves. The protagonist has a club foot, and yes, I once dated a man with a club foot. As with most disabilities, visible or not, it is our own feelings about it that are the most crippling. My last release was a fund raiser I help with for a friend that suffers from Ataxia, a neurological disorder affecting voluntary coordination of muscle movements. I wrote an inspirational piece about when I was raped and how we can overcome anything, with the right help and desire. This Beautiful Escape Order Here All proceeds go to charity and youâll learn a little more about me and have loads of inspiring stories, poems, quotes and daily reads to perk you up.

I have thirteen or so books/anthologies published now so I canât talk about each of them, however, I love Moonbeams of Unintended Consequences as one of my favs and also, along with Emily, I am writing a sequel. This is an interracial love story about a famous opera star and a young beautiful designer. And yes, I did âknowâ a celebrated opera star and the famous San Francisco Whitcomb Hotel does exist. My last release, written with my friend Chrissy Laurence, was in September in the form of Cheerleaders in Heat and that is a real 5 flame eroco-throbber. Fun and funny, but serious, it exposes the underbelly of life in South Miamiâs nightlife; there is some violence that alters the course of my heroineâs life.

Your readers will be hearing more about those books in the coming months as we delve deeper into my sordid writing and past. In the meantime, they can check out my books and add them to there Wish List on my Amazon Author Page

If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers

to know what would it be?

I never graduated from college. Most people do not know that about me and just assume I did. While I would never want alter the course of my life, that is my second greatest regret. But, I am happy with how my life has gone; I am wealthy beyond money, I had a great career as a Regional Director with IBM, and my life has been enriched by all those that have touched me and continue to love me. I have a wonderful husband who thinks it is funny I write âpornâ and a step-son who thinks I am awesome. Could it get any better than that?

Well, I suppose I should say âGood Byeâ as I would hate to bore you into thinking my books are equally tiresome! They are lovely. Read some of the reviews, speaking of reviews. It has been an honor to be here with you today. I so appreciate your time and interest in sharing my work with your friends, family and fans. They are all a special lot and I love each and every one of them. Thank you for stopping by.

She told him what she had done to herself in the ladiesâ room, the slight smell of vodka and lemons on her breath escaping from full, ruby lips as he watched them move with each word and syllable. He was getting hard again; she could see the bulge in his pants. She described in detail exactly what she had done, how she felt and how it had made her feel when she emerged from the ladiesâ room: strong, powerful, in controlâhot. She leaned in closer and whispered into his ear.

âI am so tempted to guide your hand up to the wet desire you caused between my thighs.â

His bulge was quite obviously rock hard, as he no doubt remembered when sheâd returned from the ladiesâ room but in earnest at her seductive suggestionâ¦

âI would be less than an officer and a gentleman if I didnât oblige. I must confess,â Dylan said, âI thought I smelled the fragrance of sex on you, and you made me hard as steelâNavy steel hardâ¦Jesus, Sailieâ¦â Ordinarily, a comment like that would have brought some chuckles but the two of them were dead serious, staring into one anotherâs hungry eyes.

People started to shuffle around them gathering their things, collecting their coats and umbrellas, leaving. Sailie and Dylan had just gotten fresh drinks, so they had a few minutes to whisper and touch before they would have to join the others and leave. Shortly, the bartender started turning on lights and flashing them dim to high. That was the universal message that before too long, they would stay on. Sailie and Dylan were unconcerned. They had nothing but one another in their shared look. And Sailie thought of the torch singer.

The piano player stood, looked at Sailie and blew out the candle on her piano. In the flicker of the burning light, Sailie saw the invitation.

Dylan broke his gaze, stood and took Sailieâs elbow. âWeâd better leave before they have us arrested,â he said. And they smiled, knowingly, at one another. Sailie was hoping there would be better reasons ahead to get them both arrested.

âWait. Do you mind if I give my friend, Meesa, a ride home?â

âMeesa?â Disappointment hung on his voice.

âThe piano player.â

âOhâ¦no, of course not. But, I have a small car.â

âNo problem. I mean, would you like to have a nightcap at my house? Iâll ride with you and Meesa can bring my car when she is finished here. She doesnât have one. You donât mind, do you?â What could he say sporting that hard-on?

âNo, I mean yes! I would love to come have a drink at your house and no, I donât mind if she brings your car. I didnât realize you were friends.â

As they rose to go, Sailie broke away from the man who had held her attention the entire night to the woman that held it now. She bent to the young womanâs ear as she slipped a twenty into the bountiful brandy snifter and inhaled the lavender fragrance she remembered so swell. Her aroma sent an electric bolt to the moist center of Sailieâs desire.

âCome to my house when you are finished, wonât you?â

âYes, of course, I will. Iâve been watching you all night, both of you, but then you knew that,â the long-legged blond with the soft fingertips answered matter-of-factly.

âHere are my keys. Weâll have a drink. You will come, promise? Do you remember how to get there?â

âOf course, I said I will, Sailie. Iâll be here awhile cleaning up, but I should be there in about an hour. And yes, I remember how to get there. It hasnât been that longâjust last night.â

âYou donât mind him, too, do you?â

âMind? Oh, lord Sailie, no. Are you fucking kidding? Heâs gorgeous. And you look absolutely radiant. Is that an iridescent blush on your cheeks? You look beautiful.â

âThank you, sugar. No, itâs not blush but excitement and a little bit of cum. See ya at my house.â

Sailie kissed her ear, the twenty safely tucked in the snifter, sucked her earlobe into her mouth with a little flick of her tongue and turned to the man that had her mojo melting.

âCome on, Dylan. Are you ready to go? Iâll ride with you to my house.â

Muffy, author of provocative romance about love, sex, hope and passion, was born in Texas to traditional parents. With two older brothers, she was the youngest, the family "princess," indulged and pampered. Her father was a career Colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force which required the family to travel extensively. Muffy spent her formative years in Europe and 'came of age' in France which forged her joie de vivre and love for books, writing and education.

Married and living in the tropical paradise of SW Florida along the Gulf Coast, Muffy dabbles in real estate, writes and enjoys life in the sun with her husband and wee Havanese pup, Burt.